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remaining servants, so she ’d often made daily rounds, assisting where it was needed. Her father could be unpredictable and quick to temper when they fell behind in the ir work or when mistakes were made.
    “You’re such a dear, sweet girl, Miss Hopkins . I don’t know what his lordship was thinking to insist that you scrub floors . That’s why the housework should always be left up to us women . Men don’t know the first thing about running a household , d on’t you agree ? ”
    “Yes, Emma, you’re quite right. ” Angela knew exactly what the barbarian was thinking – to work her like a scullery maid . . . but why?
     
    THE MORNING WENT by quickly as Angela moved from room to room . Several times she’d tracked Emma down to ask for more difficult work, insisting she was perfectly able. She’d finally given up after being told everything was already covered. Angela suspected that the head housekeeper deliberately refus ed to giv e her anything more strenuous to do .
    They were trying to protect her, Angela knew, and it warmed her heart that these strangers seemed to care so much for her well-being . S he just hoped Blackridge didn’t get wind of it . She dreaded what he would do to the poor servants if he did .
    For some unfathomable reason, h er presence here seemed to annoy him . It didn’t make any sense . He’d offered such a large sum for her to take up residence . Why would he go to such lengths to get her here, and then behave as though he could hardly stand being around her?
    It almost seemed as if he sought to punish her. She couldn’t imagine why he would want to do such a thing.
    H ow would he react when he found out how nice the servants have been toward her?
    Angela pushed those unpleasant thoughts from her mind, and enjoyed a tasty luncheon of sandwiches and lemonade in the kitchen with a few of the other staff . The event progressed, thankfully , uninterrupted by plate-snatching v iscounts . Afterward, she continued her work in the master’s study . Emma had assured her the room was vacant , so she was free to dust to her heart’s content.
    Moving methodically from one surface to another, Angela admired the beautiful figurines and statuettes in the room . When her mother was alive, she remembered that they also had such nice things in the house . After her mother’s death, however, item s began to disappear one by one until ev entually nothing of any value was left.
    Angela was attempting to move a large, overstuffed wing chair . Her plan was to stand on the chair so she could reach a wall sconce she intend ed to clean , but first she needed to position the chair beneath it. She strained, trying to move the heavy piece of furniture.
    “ Miss Hopkins , let me do that for you,” Phillips, the doorman said, rushing over.
    “It’s all right, Phillips, I can manage.”
    “Please, let me do this for you, Miss Hopkins,” he insisted.
    She chuckled good-naturedly , gesturing toward the chair . “If it pleases you, sir, th e n by all means.”
    Phillips was a handsome young man, with laughing blue eyes and sand -colored hair . He was tall and gangly , having not quite grown into his youthful body yet . He ’d been kind and respectful ever since meeting Angela this morning, and she had to wonder what other tales Rosemary had told .
    It couldn’t be such a big secret what her purpose for being here was . They had to know she wasn’t a servant, especially since she’d brought her own maid with her . They were all being so nice to her . Phillips , especially , always seemed to appear when she needed a helping hand.
    “To be sure, Miss Hopkins , ” he said, easily pushing the chair into position. “A woman in your condition should not b e moving heavy furniture around. In fact, if you’ll just hand me that duster, I’ll have it cleaned in a thrice . ” H e flashed a boyish grin.
    Angela chuckled , smiling back at him . “ That’s quite all right, Philli ps, I can manage on my own, now.